End to end network communication

ABSTRACT

A system manageable for peer to peer communication between subscribers, the system comprising: a) a subscriber end digital communication management device for managing digital communications with remote subscribers, the device comprising: an internal interface for interfacing with at least one subscriber electronic device, an IP address manager for formulating a request for an IP address corresponding to a user defined remote subscriber, submitting said request and recording a response thereto, and a packet addresser, associated with said IP address manager, for addressing data packets to said user defined remote subscriber using an IP address taken from said recorded response, and b) an Internet connection management device for receiving and processing said request, said device comprising: a database for storing user identification names of said subscribers in a first field and respective assigned user IP addresses in a second field, a database manager for determining assigned user IP addresses of ones of said subscribers currently connected and dynamically updating said second field therewith, and a request manager for receiving external requests specifying at least one user identification request, interrogating said database and responding with respective IP addresses, thereby to provide peer to peer connections between said subscribers and end to end transaction data for billing.

RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation in part of PCT IL01/00310 Apr.4, 2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to manageable end to end or peer to peercommunication via a network and more particularly but not exclusively toend to end manageable communication using the Internet infrastructurefor unspecified kinds of communication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally speaking, end users of the Internet connect, via any availableinfrastructure, to an ISP or like Internet gateway. The Internet,although being a mesh transport network, is used for most applicationpurposes as a star-configuration with large amounts of processing takingplace at central locations. Generally, the Internet is based on theclient-server connection model, as opposed to peer to peer.

The client server configuration has a number of disadvantages. First ofall, an Internet service provider has to make available a capacity thatcan cope with peak time use at the servers centers. Such a capacityrequires a large initial investment and regular and large scale growthboth as the number of his customers increases and as the average amountof use per customer increases. Furthermore, each increase in capacityonly increases the demand per customer, since an improvement inperformance encourages users to make use of capacity hungry features,such as multimedia and virtual reality, which may not have beenrealistic before the capacity increase.

In addition, the Internet service provider is required to set updedicated servers and server farms for different kinds of services, forexample e-mail servers, web-servers, perhaps even more specializedservers such as a juke box server, and this only adds to the investmentrequired. Furthermore, all of these services have to be integrated witheach other, with a central control and with billing servers and otherfunctions. Integration involves both time and cost, and is notrestricted to set up of the initial system. Rather integration has to becarried out whenever new additions are made to the service provider'soverall system or whenever upgrading of existing features is providedanywhere on the system.

Considering standard client server connections over the Internet ingreater detail, the Internet generally speaking routes digital datapackets over nodes to an intended destination. Each node, usually arouter, has a unique IP address which is to be used by other routers tolocate it. An Internet user is generally connected to the network via anInternet-Service-Provider (ISP) or via an Internet Point-Of-Presence(POP). The ISP has a domain, within which the user is allocated anindividual identity, and the ISP enables the user to communicate overthe Internet by allocating him a temporary IP address. The user may useknown static IP addresses, or domain names which relate to such IPaddress, to connect to servers and web sites, but in order to connect toremote users, he has to know their temporary assigned IP address inadvance—which in most case is practically impossible.

Recent developments in Internet use include messaging systems such asICQ, Yahoo messenger and Microsoft's .Net system. Broadly speaking, inthese systems, a user is assigned a username. The user is required tolog into a central server and submits his current IP address, which isplaced in a table along with his user name. Other users are able tocommunicate with him by submitting his user name and obtaining his IPaddress from the table. An individual message is then sent directly tothe respective IP address. The messaging systems can support text, voiceand video communications.

The messaging systems have the advantage that a high powered center isnot required. The center is required to deal with nothing more than asingle IP lookup request for each respective communication. However, ithas the disadvantage that it requires a general purpose computer as theterminal device & the usage of the messaging system's applicationproprietary address translation protocol. The terminal device isrequired to make IP lookup requests, interpret the results and use theresults to address data packets that it is able to generate.Furthermore, due to the absence of system billing mediation, suchmessaging systems do not have the ability to charge users for theservice. Furthermore, users are identified by their “nick names” whichmakes it almost impossible to access a person unless the user isfamiliar with the addressee's “nick name”, unlike a known phone-numberfor example,

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention create smart end points,that is to say intelligent communication terminals that can support peerto peer communication and do not require intermediate servers. Inparticular the smart end points are able to support communicationmanagement, security management and all premise required services. Thesmart endpoints may act both as clients and as servers, thus combiningthe benefits of client/server & centerless topologies.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is thusprovided a subscriber end digital communication management unit formanaging digital and analog communications with remote subscribers, thedevice comprising:

an internal interface for interfacing with at least one subscriberelectronic device,

an IP address manager for formulating a request for an IP addresscorresponding to a user defined remote subscriber, submitting saidrequest to an external location and recording a response thereto, and

a packet addresser, associated with said IP address manager, foraddressing data packets to said user defined remote subscriber using anIP address taken from said recorded response, thereby to set up a peerto peer connection with said user defined remote subscriber.

The unit is preferably operable to store a defined access name or numberfor unique identification.

Preferably, said internal interface is a LAN interface.

Preferably, said subscriber electronic devices are any one of a groupcomprising: a magnetic card reader, a smart card reader, a securitysensor, a meter, an electronic utility, a video camera, a television, aWireless device including a Bluetooth or other wireless local loopdevice, a telephone, a fax machine, a cellular telephone, a personaldigital assistant, a portable computer and a desktop computer.

Preferably, said at least one communication network is any one of thePSTN, the Internet, cable network, satellite network, a cellularnetwork, a radio wireless network, and an optical fiber network.

Preferably, said at least one communication network is the Internet andany one of the PSTN, a cellular network, a radio network, and an opticalfiber network.

Preferably, said packet addresser comprises TCP/IP functionality.

The unit preferably further comprises a backup power supply.

The unit preferably further comprises a secure communication unitcomprising cryptographic functionality.

Preferably, said cryptographic functionality comprises at least one ofencryption of communications, decryption of communications andverification of communications.

The unit is either located within software on a PC platform, or may beembedded, either as software or hardware, within a dedicated or generalpurpose device.

The unit preferably comprises an accumulated transaction log for billingdata, said transaction log being transferable to the subscriber or to abilling center.

Preferably, said request is further operable to determine whether saiduser defined remote subscriber has a similar device.

The unit preferably further comprises master functionality to perform ina master server mode to other units.

The unit preferably further comprises slave functionality to perform ina slave mode to other units.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is providedan internet connection management unit for supporting end to endInternet connections between subscribers, said unit comprising:

a database for storing user identification names of said subscribers ina first field and respective assigned user IP addresses in a secondfield,

a database manager for determining assigned user IP addresses of ones ofsaid subscribers currently connected and dynamically updating saidsecond field therewith, and

a request manager for receiving external requests specifying at leastone user identification request, interrogating said database andresponding with respective IP addresses.

The unit preferably comprises a security layer.

Preferably, said security layer comprises a firewall.

Preferably, said security layer comprises connection authenticationfunctionality.

Preferably, said security layer comprises encryption functionality.

The unit preferably comprises connection monitoring functionality formonitoring said subscriber end to end connection.

Preferably, said functionality for monitoring is associated withfunctionality for providing billing records.

The unit preferably further comprises pushing functionality for sendingdata to a group or to all of said subscribers.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided asystem for peer to peer communication between subscribers, the systemcomprising:

a) a subscriber end digital communication management device for managingdigital communications with remote subscribers, the device comprising:

-   -   an internal interface for interfacing with at least one        subscriber electronic device,    -   an IP address manager for formulating a request for an IP        address corresponding to a user defined remote subscriber,        submitting said request and recording a response thereto, and    -   a packet addresser, associated with said IP address manager, for        addressing data packets to said user defined remote subscriber        using an IP address taken from said recorded response, and

b) an Internet connection management device for receiving and processingsaid request, said device comprising:

-   -   a database for storing user identification names of said        subscribers in a first field and respective assigned user IP        addresses in a second field,    -   a database manager for determining assigned user IP addresses of        ones of said subscribers currently connected and dynamically        updating said second field therewith, and    -   a request manager for receiving external requests specifying at        least one user identification request, interrogating said        database and responding with respective IP addresses,        thereby to provide peer to peer connections between said        subscribers.

The system preferably further comprises a billing mechanism foraccumulating a transaction log at the subscriber end and retrieving dataof said log to the master server.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provideda method of providing end to end communication over a TCP/IP basednetwork, the method comprising:

selecting a remote subscriber to establish said communication with,

obtaining user address data for said remote subscriber,

sending to a remote database said user name to obtain an IP addresscorresponding to said user address data of said remote subscriber, and

if said IP address is obtained then establishing an end-to-endconnection with said remote subscriber using said obtained IP address toaddress data packets of said communication.

The method preferably further comprises accumulating end to endtransaction data for billing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same maybe carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way ofexample, to the accompanying drawings.

With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressedthat the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes ofillustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what isbelieved to be the most useful and readily understood description of theprinciples and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, noattempt is made to show structural details of the invention in moredetail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of theinvention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent tothose skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may beembodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram showing a communication system accordingto a preferred embodiment of the present invention connected via theInternet,

FIG. 2A is a simplified block diagram showing a way of connectingcommunication equipment at subscriber premises according to anembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2B is a simplified block diagram showing another way of connectingcommunication equipment at subscriber premises according to a blockdiagram of the present invention,

FIG. 3 is a simplified layer diagram showing layers involved in theprogramming of the master server of FIG. 1, and operative in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of the IPCenter of FIG. 1,operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present embodiments provide a peer to peer configuration forcommunication using any kind of media. The configuration uses queryingto obtain an IP address from a central server, and then allows for adirect peer to peer connection to be formed using the IP addressobtained. The IP address is preferably cached at the requesting party,preferably with a time to live validity indicator, so that the totalnumber of queries is reduced and so that the connection is not halted bytemporary failure of the central server or the connection thereto. Thedirect connection preferably supports any kind of communication. Aterminal unit is able to support querying and caching, and also carriesout usage monitoring for billing purposes, producing a usage file whichis submitted, preferably at non-peak usage times, to a billing server.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applicationto the details of construction and the arrangement of the components setforth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. Theinvention is applicable to other embodiments or of being practiced orcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a simplified block diagramshowing a plurality of subscriber sites connected via a communicationnetwork, operative in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. A plurality of subscribers 1,1 a each have a localcommunication co-ordination unit, hereinafter an IPCenter unit 2, 2 a.Preferably, communication devices 3, and even other electronicappliances 4 such as a remotely controllable coffee maker orrefrigerator, are connected to the subscriber's IPCenter 2, 2 a. EachIPCenter 2, 2 a is connected, either directly or indirectly, to theInternet via any available infrastructure. The Internet 5 itselfcomprises a number of data lines connected to one another by nodes,typically routers 5 a, and the connection 5 b to the Internet may bethrough an ISP or POP connection, as described above. A non-subscribedInternet user 5 c is typically connected to the Internet by an ISP or aPOP type connection. As an alternative, the connection 5 b may be awireless IP arrangement so that the IPCenter 2 is in fact connectedwirelessly. The embodiment thus uses the cellular network as an Internetbroadband connection, thereby creating a static cellular network.Typically, the IPCenter unit 2, 2 a, is connected to the Internetthrough available infrastructure, which may include any of broadbandconnections, the PSTN and an ISP server, and each IPCenter is preferablyprovided with a name. The name may simply be a user name, or may be inthe name.sub-domain.domain format of Internet compatible addressing. TheIPCenter unit 2,2 a provides further sub-domain-names for local networkdevices and electronic appliances.

In order to manage Internet compatible addressing for the IPCenters,there is preferably provided a Master-Server 6. The master server ispreferably assigned a domain name and the usernames assigned to theusers may be set up as sub-domains of the master server. TheMaster-Server 6 preferably has a table of active users together withcurrent IP addresses. The table may also include other information suchas traffic situation etc.

A transaction between two subscribers, such as a telephone call, thesending of an Email or a request to download a webpage or file etc. maybe carried out directly between the two respective IPCenter units. Theoriginating IPCenter (e.g. 2) preferably first issues a query to themaster server asking for the IP address corresponding to a requiredname. The query triggers the master server to look up the IP address inthe table. The IP address is returned to the IP center which then bothcaches the IP address, together with any time to live data, and alsosets up a peer to peer connection using the IP address provided.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2A, which is a simplified block diagramshowing a subscriber's end-user premises, arranged to be used inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Partsthat appear in earlier figures are given the same reference numerals andare not discussed in detail again except as needed for an understandingof the present embodiment. In the subscriber's end-user premises anIPCenter unit 2, as described above, is installed. The user typicallyhas a plurality of communication devices, connected, via a LAN 3 c, tothe IPCenter unit, including for example a FAX machine 3, telephone 3 a,cable TV 3 b, and a number of PCs 3 d. Electronic appliances 4, such asa coffee machine, a refrigerator, an air conditioner, and a washingmachine, may also be connected to the IPCenter for such purposes asmonitoring, metering and remote control.

The IPCenter unit is preferably connected to the Internet 5 b either byan ISP, in which case it may use an ISP router or by a POP connectiondirectly to a router.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2B, which is the same as FIG. 2A exceptthat the LAN 3 c links up only the computers, the rest of the devicesbeing connected directly to the IPCenter. The Arrangement of FIG. 2Boperates substantially in the same way as that of FIG. 2A.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which is a simplified layer diagramshowing the organization of the master server 6 of FIG. 1, operative inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. TheMaster-Server comprises four principle layers. The first layer is anapplication layer with data-bases 9. The layer includes a standardInternet providers' database, a push technologies database for pushinginformation to the various subscribers, a user database which recordssubscriber IP addresses and domain names and other information of theindividual subscribers, and a billing and events database. The pushdatabase can also be used to send software upgrades to users.

The second layer is a security layer 10, typically comprising afirewall, and encryption and authentication means for the communicationand application layer. The third layer is a communication layer 11,which manages communication between itself and the various IPCenters forthe purpose of retrieving billing information, address to IP translationetc., and the fourth layer is an addressing layer 12, which inter aliacarries out naming/numeric address translation of requested addresses.

The master server, via the above layers, thus makes the respective IPaddresses available to requesting devices and gathers billing and likeinformation.

FIG. 4 is a simplified block diagram of an IPCenter unit. The IPCenterat its very simplest need only be a switching unit for handling datapackets and which is able to formulate requests for IP addresses,receive the responses and then use the IP addresses received in theresponses to address data packets. The preferred embodiment as shown inFIG. 4 goes beyond the minimal device in that it comprises amicroprocessor CPU 13, augmented by a digital signal processor (DSP) 14.The IPCenter further comprises software to perform and manage thevarious IPCenter activities, as well as memory 15, a security system 16,backup unit 17, and a converter unit 18, which is able to carry out D/Aand A/D conversions. The IPCenter preferably has a plurality ofinterfaces and connections. A WAN interface 19 may be used to connect tothe Internet using cable, satellite, cellular, wireless, power lines ordial up modem, and a LAN interface 20 may connect the unit to a localarea network such as LAN 3 c of FIG. 2. The IPCenter unit preferably hasa number of interfaces 21 for individual kinds of communication devicese.g. audio, telephone, video and data and may additionally comprise anumber of physical interfaces 22 for card readers, IrDA, appliances I/O,display and others physical devices.

The IPCenter of the above embodiments is thus able to use IP addressesreceived from the central unit to support End-to-End or peer to peercommunication. Subscribers are thereby enabled to make directconnections to each other, thus avoiding the need to make use ofIntermediate servers. A user may for example send Emails or textmessages directly without mediation of servers and likewise may carryout a phone-call, and hold fax, data and video sessions. The user isalso able to send and receive sensing and control signals in the sameway or carry out any kind of less conventional communication. Anarrangement at one end in which standard houshold devices are connectedvia a wireless connection to the IPCenter allows remote control of thesedevices so that for example a user can connect remotely to his IPCenterand check on the status,read meters ,or carry out control, of his fridgeor turn on his coffee machine or his air conditioning or alarm andsecurity systems.

The present embodiments allow personal/SOHO services such as webhosting, E-commerce, video and other Internet services to be supportedat the end-user's premises, and also provides remote control ofelectronic appliances, including metering and sensing without needingany dedicated support.

The above embodiments have been described with reference to a domesticenvironment. It will however be appreciated that the same applies to theindustrial and commercial environment, the difference being only thesize and nature of the internally supported LAN.

A particular advantage of the present embodiments is that eachend-subscriber user can be mobile and may connect up from anywhere onthe globe, using the Internet network, since there is no need to connectto any given ISP or POP provider. Rather the IPCenter needs only toconnect successfully to the Internet, receive a temporary IP address andto identify itself to the master server. The temporary address at themaster server allows others to communicate with it and it is able toreceive, from the master server, the IP addresses of other users withwhich it may wish to communicate.

The present embodiments allow any communication device, connected to anappropriate network to be contacted, as well as allowing contact betweendifferent subscribers to the IPCenter system.

An IPCenter is preferably located at the subscriber's premises, asdescribed above, to interface between the external network and thesubscriber's internal network and devices. The connection to theexternal network may be via any independent infrastructure and maycomprise a dialup or dial-in link over the PSTN to the closest entrypoint of the Internet network (POP). Connections may be via broad bandor narrow band connection or fiber.

A connection is established with a master-server on the Internet.Preferably the master server has a registered InternetUniversal-Resource-Location (URL) and all of the IPCenter units are subzones within the master-server's domain, as described above.

As discussed above, the IPCenter registers its assigned IP address whenit connects to the master server, which is to say that the subscriberreceives a global-unique name and/or number, using a globalnaming-numeric-scheme such as that used for providing names on theInternet. He uses the name to identify himself, as described above,permanently, whereas the IP address may only be assigned temporarily.

Subscribers' data in the Master-Server is preferably arranged, in atable as described above, to allow it to find an IP address according toa subscriber name, using the global naming-scheme, each other subscriberhaving a unique Domain-Name to make such identification possible.

When a device in the subscriber's premises is activated, the IPCenteridentifies the device. The user then preferably identifies an addressee,by pointing to an entry in an address book etc. and the IPCenter is thenable to formulate a request for an IP address.

The IPCenter then preferably connects to the Master-Server to find outif the addressee is a subscriber or not. If the addressee is asubscriber and is currently on line, then the Master-Server is able torefer to its look up table and convert the name or the number into an IPaddress.

Alternatively, If the IPCenter recognizes that a connection has alreadybeen made in the past with the required addressee and the addressee hasa fixed IP address, it may take the destination IP-address from a localmemory history table where the address has been cached.

Once an IP address has been obtained, the originating IPCenter mayconnect directly, using the Internet routers and the given IP address,to the addressee IPCenter, which is to say it arranges the communicationinto standard data packets giving the IP address obtained as thedestination address.

The addressee IPCenter receives the communication, acts as a localdevice and establishes the communication through the local communicationdevices connected thereto.

If the addressee is not a system subscriber, the IPCenter establishesthe communication using any conventional means such as a standard PSTNconnection,or an IP gateway for connecting conventionally via theInternet.

The IPCenter preferably includes A/D and D/A conversion ability forconverting signals between analog and digital when and where needed.

The IPCenter preferably records usage and billing information, and, asdescribed above, reports billing information to the Master-Server, or toa separate billing unit associated with the master server. In additionto usage and billing information, the IPCenter may reportQuality-of-Service (QoS) information, and in some cases connectivitymonitoring information, status information of connected devices andother information as may be defined. Billing files are preferablyencoded and the master server is preferably able to query IPCenters thathave not reported billing information for more than a predeterminedinterval.

The IPCenter is able to connect in the usual way to available Internetservices, as an alternative to using the master server.

The Master-Server is preferably a node of the Internet, but is at thevery least connected to the Internet. Preferably it holds updatedinformation of all of the system subscribers, for example includingDomain-Name, IP address, traffic, status, and the like. It is likelythat, at least domestic subscribers use dynamic IP addressing, and thusthe master server may be required to keep track of dynamically changingIP addresses.

The IPCenter, which is installed in each subscriber premises is able toconnect, via Internet infrastructure, to the master server. It isfurther connected to the communication devices of the end-user premises.

As discussed above, the IPCenter preferably comprises a microprocessor,including or being connected to a digital-signal-processor (DSP). Themicroprocessor preferably has software to perform and manage IPCenteractivities, in particular managing IP address querying, packetaddressing and logging for billing purposes, as described above.

The IPCenter preferably includes a first input/output (I/O) unit, toconnect to the Internet.

The IPCenter preferably includes a second input/output (I/O) unit, toconnect to the communication devices of the end-user premises.

The IPCenter preferably further comprises A/D and D/A conversion abilityas mentioned above and authentication, security and encryption circuitryto ensure privacy and security of communications. Preferably the levelof security is customizable. The authentication, security and encryptioncircuitry may comprise a voice security system and/or a data securitysystem and/or a video security system, to enable secure use of creditcard readers, smart card readers, and to ensure secure transmission ofinformation via the network from one end to other end.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises environment,RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and electric protection circuitry.

A farther preferred embodiment of the IPCenter comprises a backup powersupply so that communication is not lost in the event of a power cut. Ingeneral, telephone links are not lost during a power cut since the PSTNis separately powered. The IPCenter may run all of the subscriber'scommunications, and therefore it should not provide disadvantages overan unsophisticated telephone link, which is to say it too should be ableto allow at least normal telephone links when the power is cut.

As discussed above, in order to communicate using availablecommunication networks and to connect to available local communicationdevices the IPCenter preferably comprises suitable input/output (I/O)connectors including Audio, Video, Fiber-optics, Cellular, RF, LAN, andWAN connectors.

The IPCenter preferably includes suitable physical device interfacessuch as Infra-Red and Wireless, Smartcard readers, Magnetic card readersand Laser readers.

The IPCenter preferably has a user display and/or indicators.

The IPCenter preferably has means for receiving data for loadingsoftware and carrying out operational functions. The means may forexample be a disk drive or the infra-red reader referred to above.

The IPCenter may include a data connectivity unit to operate for examplevia USB, serial port or IrDA. The connectivity unit may thus allowaccess to a PC, printer, scanner, palm pilot or digital camera or videocamera. The IPCenter may be provided as a mobile version, intended fortraveling and to allow access to the Internet from wherever the travelermay be. Such a mobile version may also include a GPS capability to beused for system registration and applications.

The IPCenter may be provided as software on a PC platform with orwithout additional hardware or as a part of other communication,security, entertainment or other devices.

The system may include the ability to push information from varioussources into one or more of the subscriber IPCenter units. Such may bedone as a general multi-cast or selection may be carried out ofindividual users or groups of users. Generally, a push facility isprovided at the master server, and any IPCenter may serve as a head-endto push information.

There is thus provided a system for allowing users to access theInternet directly without needing an ISP servers or gateways. The systemplaces the complexity at the user, allowing the bulk of thecommunication to pass in a peer to peer connection format. Thus Internetservice provision can be provided without requiring a large investmentin infrastructure.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, forclarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also beprovided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, variousfeatures of the invention which are, for brevity, described in thecontext of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or inany suitable subcombination.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited to what has been particularly shown anddescribed hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention isdefined by the appended claims and includes both combinations andsubcombinations of the various features described hereinabove as well asvariations and modifications thereof which would occur to personsskilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

1. Internet connection management unit for facilitating end to endInternet connections between subscribers, said unit comprising: adatabase for storing user identification names of said subscribers in afirst field and respective assigned user IP addresses in a second field,a database manager for determining assigned user if addresses of ones ofsaid subscribers currently connected and dynamically updating saidsecond field therewith, an interface for receiving external requestsspecifying at least one user identification request from a subscriberhub interfacing with at least one subscriber electronic device, and arequest manager for receiving said external requests specifying at leastone user identification request from said interface, interrogating saiddatabase and responding with respective IP addresses.
 2. The unit ofclaim 1, being operable to connect to said subscribers via wireless datalinks.
 3. The unit of claim 1, further comprising a security layer. 4.The unit of claim 3, wherein said security layer comprises a firewall.5. The unit of claim 3, wherein said security layer comprises connectionauthentication functionality.
 6. The unit of claim 3, wherein saidsecurity layer comprises encryption functionality.
 7. The unit of claim3, further comprising connection monitoring functionality for monitoringsaid subscriber end to end connection.
 8. The unit of claim 7, saidfunctionality for monitoring being associated with functionality forproviding billing records.
 9. The unit of claim 1, further comprisingpushing functionality for sending data to a group or to all of saidsubscribers.
 10. A system for peer to peer communication betweensubscribers, the system comprising: a) a subscriber end digitalcommunication management device for managing communications betweensubscriber devices and remote subscribers, the communication managementdevice comprising: an internal local area network (LAN) interface forinterfacing with at least one subscriber electronic device over a LAN,an IP address manager for formulating a request for an IP addresscorresponding to a user defined remote subscriber, submitting saidrequest and recording a response thereto, and a packet addresser,associated with said IP address manager, for addressing data packets tosaid user defined remote subscriber using an IP address taken from saidrecorded response, and b) an Internet connection management device forreceiving and processing said request, said connection management devicecomprising: a database for storing user identification names of saidsubscribers in a first field and respective assigned user IP addressesin a second field, a database manager for determining assigned user IPaddresses of ones of said subscribers currently connected anddynamically updating said second field therewith, and a request managerfor receiving external requests specifying at least one useridentification request, interrogating said database and responding withrespective IP addresses, thereby to provide peer to peer connectionsbetween said subscribers.
 11. The system of claim 10, further comprisingc) a billing mechanism for accumulating a transaction log at thesubscriber end and retrieving data of said log to the Internetconnection management device.